WIDTH OF THE FIELD 259 



which resulted in the "United Farmers of British 

 Columbia," with strong membership under the guidance 

 of enthusiastic officers.* 



Representatives of the Grain Growers, from Alberta 

 and Manitoba, were present to lend the encouragement 

 of their experience. Among them was Roderick 

 McKenzie, then Secretary** of the Canadian Council of 

 Agriculture. When the farmers commenced organiza- 

 tion in Manitoba, he said, it was possible to find many 

 old-fashioned farmers who could see no reason for 

 organization. Had not their fathers been successful 

 farmers ? Had they not raised a family of eight or ten 

 or a dozen or more without belonging to any organiza- 

 tion? educated them, too? These old-time farmers 

 forgot that the world was making progress as the years 

 went by and they were not living in the same age as 

 their fathers before them. 



" Fifty years ago, when I was a boy," Mr. McKenzie 

 continued, "there was no such thing as a joint stock 

 company. We would not hear a word about combines 

 or trusts or transportation organizations or financial 

 institutions. At that time the business was-carried on 

 by individuals. Then it grew into partnerships. From 

 partnerships it developed into joint stock corporations 

 and now we have these forming into trusts and com- 

 bines and holding companies. It is simply co-operation 

 of the few in the interests of the few. It created a 

 force in public affairs and this must be met by another 

 force the organization of the common people, led by 

 the farmers. 



" Where would the British Army be as a disorganized 

 army confronting the Germans? Nowhere! Place a 

 body of disorganized farmers in front of organized 



* See Appendix Par. 1<J. 

 ** See Appendix Par. 18. 



